Body image issues are one of the most common hurdles bodybuilders face on and off the stage. In a recent YouTube video on April 8, 2026, Sam Sulek discussed whether he has body dysmorphia or bigorexia and offered fans tips for dealing with these challenges.
Sam Sulek has quickly found his footing in the Classic Physique division. In 2025, he laid claim to victory at the NPC Legends Classic, paving the way for his Arnold Amateur appearance. Sulek improved his legs and back to secure his IFBB Pro card in Columbus, Ohio.
A year later, he finally made his Pro debut. He took on a stacked lineup at the Arnold Classic Ohio, securing eighth place. He had the chance to stand against high-profile threats like Wesley Vissers and Matheus Menegate.
Sulek wanted to test the waters again and traveled overseas to the Arnold Classic UK. He showed once again he could improve and finished seventh. With time to unwind, he touched on how he deals with negative talk and body image struggles.
Sam Sulek Opens Up About Body Dysmorphia and Bigorexia, Shares Tips
In the Q&A segment, Sulek broke down the fine line between critiquing your physique and body dysmorphia or bigorexia.
“Are we talking bigorexia? You never think you look good, even when maybe you really do? It’s kind of a fine line between critiquing your physique and telling yourself okay, I do have things I want to work on that I don’t like about myself currently. That doesn’t mean that I’m not valuable as me but I want to work on this.”
He believes negative self-talk is the main issue. His solution is simple: don’t beat yourself up and don’t be your worst hater.
“The problem is that thought process is always very negative. It’s hard to say. Imagine I’m a really skinny guy and I’m thinking, man, I want to put some muscle on. It’s easy to think man, I’m not big enough. Something about our own perception, we always spin things negative.”
“I want to lose weight is always taken as I don’t like how heavy I am now. So, just try not to beat yourself up. My main tip there is be your own worst critic, but don’t be your own worst hater.”
Sulek explained that even elite-tier bodybuilders are vulnerable to body image issues.
“Even really high-level bodybuilders, they’ve said this in old training montage videos and stuff, and maybe they didn’t really mean it and they just said it because it sounded cool but I’ve seen videos of guys literally peak, looks like a total beast Olympia competitors in insane shape, and they are saying in this video, yeah, you know, all I see are the flaws man,” said Sam Sulek.
Fans are curious about what lies ahead for Sulek’s bodybuilding career. After competing in Birmingham, he revealed that his main focus is on improving his back mass. Moving forward, Sulek is tweaking his diet to turn his weak points into strengths.
Although he’s young, Sulek has become a top role model for aspiring bodybuilders. He believes body image issues and negative self-talk can affect even the greatest competitors.
